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Arriving in the Medina of Marrakech for the first time, you are immediately aware that you are in a world that, while not unwelcoming to visitors, operates according to its own map and rhythms. The old city is a labyrinthe of alleys (derbs), lanes, and courtyards, full of people selling everthing from bananas to leather bags. Pedestrians share this maze with donkey carts, the occasional brave motorist, and small scooters (often carrying an improbable number of passengers -- it's not unusual to see three fully-grown men zipping down an alleyway full of pedestrians on a moped, conducting an animated conversation). Not surprisingly, the buildings that line these alleys face inwards, away from the lively chaos. The traditional riad may show only a single door and a blank wall to the street, but inside that door there will be a richly decorated world, built around a central courtyard, usually topped with a roof garden. If you are staying in Marrakech, you owe it to yourself to stay in a riad; every city in the world has hotels. A riad, on the other hand, brings you into the otherwise hideen heart of the Medina.

Riad Dar Najat is located only a few minutes from the main Djema El-Fna square, by which you will orient yourself in Marrakech. The riad provided us with a reliable, cheerful shuttle from the airport (you wouldn't want to try to find it yourself the first time),with a driver who cheerfully waited the hour and half that our flight was late (immigration control in Morroco is also perhaps not the world's speediest). Likewise, we had booked a meal for our first night, and even though we arrived later than we had planned, our food meal was ready when we arrived, The meal was not cheap (by local standards), but it was a feast of multiple courses, And, the riad discreetly serves wine, even though it is based in the Medina, which contains several important Islamic sites.

The riad itself is made up of single ensuite rooms, all based a central courtyard. All the rooms are decorated with North African art, with a Sub-Saharan theme (reminding us that Marrakech existed originally as the market and meeting point of a number of cultures, including that of sub-Saharan Africa). The public area on the ground floor makes a tranquil (and cool) spot to read in the heat of the afternoon, or to play a game of chess on the marvellous hand-carved chess set. The roof garden (which is also the restaurant, and is where breakfast is served) is lush with plants and birds. The predominant colours are deep browns, cream, with flashes of brighter colours. In one respect, this is what makes the riad so magical. Marrakech itself (particularly the Medina) was originally built from a pink clay; when concrete was introduced as building material early in the twentieth century, the French colonial government introduced an ordinance requiring all buildings to be painted the original pink. In one sense, then, Marrakech is curiously monochrome; going into the riad is like entering into a world of colour.

As a place to stay, we found Riad Dar Najat clean (the rooms were immaculate), and the staff genuinely warm, and welcoming. On arrival, we were made to feel like expected guests; on our first morning, we were guided to Djema El-Fna, and when we were leaving (even though we had already checked out earlier in the day at that point), we were given classes of freshly-squeezed orange juice, and several members of staff walked with us out to our taxi to wave us off.

In summary; if you are going to Marrakech, and you really want to experience the Medina, you need to stay in the Medina in a riad. There may be other riads that are equally clean and attractively decorated; but you would be lucky to find one in which the staff (and the owner) take such obvious pride in making guests feel not just welcome, but at home. We could not recommend Riad Dar Najat highly enough.

Room Tip: There are only six or seven rooms; those on the ground floor might seem a little less private than t...

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Stayed April 2014, traveled with family

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Ask Irish_rovers_11 about Riad Dar Najat

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

RiadDarNajat, Owner at Riad Dar Najat, responded to this review,
May 16, 2014

Hi and thank you so much for your very kind post indeed dear friends!Cheers! Oliver.

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

We found Dar Najat through Tripadvisor and it lived up to its excellent reviews. It's in a great location, five minutes from the main square, but is secluded enough from the main streets that it is very quiet, ensuring a good night's sleep.Our room was beautifully furnished, with excellent artwork and a very good bathroom. It was clean and well looked after. There is air conditioning, too. Although there is no TV, radio or phone (we neither expected nor needed these!) there is excellent wifi coverage throughout the riad.The main area in the riad is the balcony where dining is al fresco (although there is a small inside room if necessary), leading up to a sun terrace. There is also a small jacuzzi - this is nice, but it's best to ask the staff to heat it up for you in advance. It is not always on and takes around four hours to reach its hot tub temperature.We ate twice - on our arrival night and on our final night and the food is first class. You need to book in advance for a table, as they can only cater for a small number of diners, and buy in whatever ingredients they need every day. The standard fixed-price meal is a beautiful three course dinner of various morrocan salads/vegetables followed by a beautifully-cooked tagine (chicken or lamb etc) followed by fruit salad then mint tea or coffee.Most important about this excellent riad is the staff. They are extremely welcoming, relaxed, very efficient and nothing is too much trouble for them. There is always someone at hand whenever you need someh They will show you the way through the winding streets to the square or to restaurants, so that you don't get lost, and will look after you brilliantly. We really would recommend this place - they've clearly worked very hard to achieve their excellent rating and are keen to retain it!

Room Tip: We stayed in the Walida room, which can be arranged as either a twin or double room, I understand.

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Stayed April 2014, traveled as a couple

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Ask Offof about Riad Dar Najat

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It was our first trip to marroko and it was not our last. We had an excellant stay in Riad Dar Narjat in the center of the Medina - a beautiful oasis within the marrokean chaos. Great service from Olivier and his team! The rooms are in the typical marrokean style, wounderful to relax. We hope we will come back soon.

Stayed April 2014

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Ask ninasimonehelm about Riad Dar Najat

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A simply outstanding Riad, Oliver and his staff are easily one of the best teams in the business. My girlfriend and I stayed for 10 days and can honestly say that it was a wrench to leave. From the moment we were met at the airport to the moment we left we were made to feel genuinely welcome. The Riad itself is ideally placed, only a couple of minutes from the hustle and bustle of the main square, but so quiet and peaceful that you would think you were there alone. The top floor sun warmed pool (which is ideal, who would want a piping hot hot tub in 30+ degree heat!) and lounge areas make for a wonderful place to relax in the heat of the middle of the day (even in August) and the Riad is of a size which meant that we never felt cramped. Thank you Oliver and your team for a wonderful and relaxing stay, at some point we hope to be back!

Stayed August 2013, traveled as a couple

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Ask Myles845 about Riad Dar Najat

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Positives - Perfect location in the Medina - Very nice and and peaceful riad, beautifully decorated- Extremely nice, available and helpful staff who will do everything to make your stay as pleasant as possible and make you feel like home

Negatives- unfortunately, the jacuzzi is not exactly a jacuzzi but more like a bathtub with cold water waterwarunning

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Ask Cyril R about Riad Dar Najat

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RiadDarNajat, Owner at Riad Dar Najat, responded to this review,
April 21, 2014

Hi and thank you very much for your lovely post!Just a small precision..if you desire having the jacuzzi or tub on the roof terrace getting warm..you may ask it four hours before ,and better to ask it the morning ;In any case, with the hot days coming..shouldn't be an issue..Yours,Oliver.

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC nor of its partners.

Had a lovely time thanks to all those at Riad Dar Najat. Super friendly and kind owners, and staff, made sure that we never went without anything that we needed during our stay.

We stayed in the Layla room, at the bottom of the Riad. It was nice and cool, and a welcome break from the sun, but my girlfriend, who is a Lizard, found it too cold at times. Those of a colder disposition may want to book a room on the first floor, which have windows that open out onto the outdoor part of the Riad. Nevertheless, this didn't matter one bit, as we hung out on the beautiful roof terrace and chilled music placed all day long. No TV etc...but who needs that when you're in Marrakech. Anyway, there was good WIFI coverage so keeping in touch with the latest events in the Premier League wasn't an issue.

The service was exceptional. Much as when visiting relatives that you haven't seen in a while, the staff made us feel part of their family. Upon arrival, they gave us lovely thick coffee and orange juice while giving us a great insight into all the attractions and idiosyncrasies of the Medina. Hétam even walked us down to the Jamal El Fna (the entrance to the Souks, snake charmers etc...), 10mins walk from the Riad, to find a cash point, as we had bought no money. Also, don't bother buying bottled water, as the Riad provides you this, as well as all the Mint Tea you want, for free. This was a lovely, and unexpected, service.

Finally, the food was exceptional, with the kitchen preparing flavoursome, hearty, home cooking, that really does typify great Moroccan cuisine. It was the best meal that we had in Morocco; the chicken and lamb Tagines were spectacular, and the starters took me back to my Grandmother's kitchen, and the North African food she used to whip up for me as a little boy.

All in all, if you want a place to stay that is friendly, honest, and reasonably priced: this is the Riad for you.

Stayed April 2014

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Ask Seb G about Riad Dar Najat

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My wife and I stayed in Dar Najat for 3 nights in March and can honestly say that the hospitality was above and beyond anything we have ever experienced. Oliver and all his staff made us feel like part of the family and was always on call to help us with any queries or requests. On arrival, we were given the most amazing mint tea and fresh orange juice, then we were then given a tour of the Jemaa el-Fnaa to familiarize us with the local area. One evening we had food in the riad and it was easily the best food we had in Marrakesh, we had our own private dining room above the roof terrace and the ambiance of the riad was perfect. Abdul (the Riads tour guide) took us out on a day trip to a local village market and into the mountains where a guide took us hiking. I would recommend the tour as it was easily the highlight of the trip. We will definitely be returning to Dar Najat, hopefully in the near future. I would recommend the airport transfers to the Riad as it is difficult to find.

Stayed March 2014, traveled as a couple

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Ask mharps777 about Riad Dar Najat

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Riad Dar Najat,Traveller's Choice 2015 by Trip Advisor.
"Coolest Boutique Riad in Marrakech" is a 5 minute walk away from the famous and colourful Jemaa el Fna market area, right in the heart of the Medina of Marrakesh. This romantic 4-star boutique guesthouse has been freshly renovated to offer even more comfort and elegance than before. Let our friendly staff cater to your every request, and pamper you in lush, tranquil surroundings. Stepping out the front door takes you back to a former era, with the ancient, echoing sounds of the medina, Jemaa el Fna and the hectic hubbub of Marrakech life. After a busy day of exploration and shopping in this vibrant and exotic city, you can leave it all behind by enjoying a delicious meal or drink on one of our terraces, soothing your body in our rooftop jacuzzi, or just retiring to the warm, peaceful intimacy of your quiet and well-appointed room. Riad Dar Najat is a proud member of the "Coolest Riads in Morocco" Collection and we'll be more than glad if you try our new luxury guest house in Essaouira,Riad Bab Essaouira"Dar Najat's little sister Riad" with the possibility to have a " Marrakech/Essaouira Package Deal "for our best rates.cheers! Oliver....more less

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Riad Dar Najat Marrakech

Riad Dar Najat Hotel Marrakech

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